{"id":11844,"date":"2026-08-14T07:55:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T11:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadabiznews.ca\/press-releases\/pr\/nobel-laureate-tawakkol-karman-calls-for-a-united-sovereign-and-democratic-yemen\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T07:55:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T11:55:12","slug":"nobel-laureate-tawakkol-karman-calls-for-a-united-sovereign-and-democratic-yemen","status":"publish","type":"press-releases","link":"https:\/\/canadabiznews.ca\/press-releases\/pr\/nobel-laureate-tawakkol-karman-calls-for-a-united-sovereign-and-democratic-yemen\/","title":{"rendered":"Nobel Laureate Tawakkol Karman Calls for a United, Sovereign and Democratic Yemen"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Tawakkol<\/a>\n

Tawakkol Karman Presenting her Statement on Yemen at the UN Security Council<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The statement outlines a vision for a united, sovereign and democratic Yemen built on justice, accountability and women’s meaningful participation.<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
Yemenis are not asking the international community to build their future for them. They are asking it to stand with them as they reclaim their country and build their own future.\u201d<\/b>\n
\u2014 Nobel Peace Laureate Tawakkol Karman<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

CANADA, CANADA, August 14, 2026 \/EINPresswire.com<\/a>\/ — On 13 August, Nobel Peace laureate Tawakkol Karman<\/a> was prevented from briefing the United Nations Security Council on Yemen<\/a> after Member State objections to her participation. <\/p>\n

Karman had been invited by Denmark, which holds the Security Council presidency in August 2026, to bring a civil society perspective to the Council at a critical moment for Yemen.<\/p>\n

Nobel Women’s Initiative (NWI) strongly condemns efforts to prevent independent civil society voices from being heard by the United Nations Security Council. Excluding women peacebuilders and human rights defenders weakens the Council’s own commitment to inclusive peace and undermines the credibility of international efforts to resolve conflict. This decision reflects a troubling pattern of shrinking civic space within international institutions, where women human rights defenders and independent civil society leaders continue to face political efforts to silence their voices.
\nTawakkol Karman made clear that preventing her from entering the Council chamber would not prevent her message from being heard:<\/p>\n

\u201cYemenis are not asking the international community to build their future for them. They are asking it to stand with them as they reclaim their country and build their own future.<\/p>\n

Fifteen years ago, I was honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for standing alongside my country and its brave people in their peaceful struggle for freedom, dignity, democracy, and human rights.<\/p>\n

Today, I invite the Security Council to stand with them\u2014not only because they deserve peace and freedom, but because a united, sovereign, democratic, and stable Yemen is essential to protecting international navigation and trade, energy security and global supply chains, and, ultimately, regional and international peace and security.<\/p>\n

The Yemeni people are ready to be active partners with the international community in building that future.\u201d\u2014 Tawakkol Karman, UN Security Council Media Stakeout, 13 August 2026<\/p>\n

Denmark also publicly expressed its concern over the decision:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe deeply regret and were genuinely surprised to have received strong opposition to a civil society briefer today, Tawakkol Karman, who we are certain would have offered a valuable perspective on how to advance prospects of an inclusive political settlement. This requires revitalizing the peace process, justice and accountability for crimes committed during the conflict, and empowering women and youth as core decision makers.\u201d \u2014 Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, UN Security Council, 13 August 2026<\/p>\n

Karman warned that Yemen faces renewed risks of full-scale war and stressed that lasting peace requires addressing the political causes of the conflict\u2014not simply managing its consequences:<\/p>\n

\u201cPeace in Yemen cannot be reduced to a ceasefire, nor to the division of power and influence among armed groups and their external backers. Sustainable peace means restoring the Yemeni state: one united, sovereign, and democratic state that is governed by the rule of law, and is accountable to its people.\u201d
\nHer message to the Council calls for an inclusive, Yemeni-led political process that restores Yemen\u2019s sovereignty and state institutions; ensures justice and accountability; dismantles the war economy; protects civilians; secures the release of those arbitrarily detained or abducted; and guarantees women\u2019s full and meaningful participation in peacebuilding and decision-making, consistent with Security Council Resolution 1325.
\nRead Tawakkol Karman\u2019s full statement prepared for the UN Security Council: <\/p>\n

Arabic Version – https:\/\/tkif.org\/ar\/chairwoman-activities\/3334-13-2026<\/a>
\nEnglish Version – https:\/\/tkif.org\/en\/chairwoman-activities\/3335-statement-by-ms-tawakkol-karman-on-yemen-august-13-2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Sources:
\nTawakkol Karman (Yemeni human rights defender) on the situation in the country – Security Council Media Stakeout: Video and Transcript: https:\/\/webtv.un.org\/en\/asset\/k19\/k190uvq3v8<\/a><\/p>\n

Associated Press, Iran-backed Houthis clash with Yemeni forces and other Mideast developments (13 August 2026): https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/42eb6af678a8f16d3a2cb14bd7918a12<\/a><\/p>\n

Bill Omondi
\nNobel Women’s Initiative
\nbomondi@nobelwomensinitiative.org
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Tawakkol Karman Presenting her Statement on Yemen at the UN Security Council The statement outlines a vision for a united, sovereign and democratic Yemen built on justice, accountability and women’s meaningful participation. Yemenis are not asking the international community to build their future for them. They are asking it to stand with them as they … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":11845,"template":"","class_list":["post-11844","press-releases","type-press-releases","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadabiznews.ca\/press-releases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-releases\/11844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadabiznews.ca\/press-releases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-releases"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadabiznews.ca\/press-releases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press-releases"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadabiznews.ca\/press-releases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadabiznews.ca\/press-releases\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}